VeggieTalk

I don’t go anywhere without a list of veg restaurants; it’s kind of a security blanket. But there are so many places these days where such a list is unnecessary due to the proliferation of international eateries—and this is certainly true for Amsterdam. My sons and I sampled Thai, Japanese, Indonesian, and Etheopean while there, and none of these meals disappointed.

Still, it’s always a delight to find an all-vegetarian place to eat; I like to support that kind of business. Boelhoed (which means “bowler hat”—a phrase that truly has nothing to do with the restaurant) is a place the Dutch would surely describe as “gezellig,” or cozy, a term that can be used to describe much about all of Amsterdam. Walking in, I felt as if I were in Ann Arbor or Ithaca—you know, that funky, colorful college-town kind of atmosphere.

The servings were plentiful and the flavors hearty; the organic wine was nice; the service friendly (and as I mentioned, everyone seems to speak English very well); the cat adorable; and there are always a number of vegan desserts (we had one big meal there, but stopped three times for dessert for the boys). I won’t go into too much detail, as I hope to write a piece about Boelhoed for VegNews.

Boelhoed is located at Prinsengracht 62, near the Jordaan district. No credit cards accepted. Beware, a meal there can be pretty pricey (about 20 USD per person, not including beverages or desserts). Other well-known veg restaurants are Green Planet at Spuistraat 122, and Golden Temple at Ultrechtsestraat 122. I’m sure there are many others that are veg, organic, or veg-friendly. I can’t wait to go back! Now we know how to get around, where to shop for food (the markets, of course) and more places to eat.